


Shaky Hands

by WinterWitch611



Series: Whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Clint is dramatic, Clint is oblivious, Light Angst, M/M, Mystery, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Protective Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 13:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20866637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterWitch611/pseuds/WinterWitch611
Summary: Clint has the shakes. He thinks his days as an Avenger are numbered and attempts to quit.Bucky isn't about to let that happen.





	Shaky Hands

**Author's Note:**

> The is part of a Tumblr Whumptober challange

The floor of the shooting range is littered with targets that have been torn to shreds. They all know Clint is the only one that still uses paper targets. He’s still old school when it comes to training. The holograms that FRIDAY projects for the rest of the team just don’t feel right to him. It’s too much like playing a video game and training shouldn’t be treated like playtime.

Bucky kneels down and gathers a few pieces. Something seems off. Clint would never leave the range in this state. He glances up at Natasha. “Why would he do this? What’s going on?”

She shrugs her shoulders and hums “I don’t know” dismissively. 

“I know you know something. Tell me!” Bucky voice is a mixture of concern and anger. He knows Nat is Clint’s closest friend. If something is wrong, she's the one he’s telling.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I’ve been trying to figure it out myself,” Nat extends her hand and pulls Bucky to his feet. “Ever since that last mission he hasn’t been himself. He took a big hit but that’s not unusual.” She smirks and adds, “I mean, when is he not covered in bandages, right?” 

Bucky nods and the two clean up the paper in silence. They don’t have to—Tony has employees for this type of task—but the fewer people that know about this the better. Something is wrong with Clint and they intend to find out what it is as quickly and quietly as possible. 

~~~~~~~~~~

“Well Lucky, we had a good run,” Clint says as he rubs his loyal golden’s fur. “I know you love it here, boy…but your dad has lost his touch.” He stops petting Lucky and holds his hands straight out in front of him. There it is. There’s that damn shake. He clenches his fists as his cheeks heat up. A single tear rolls down his face just as there’s a knock at the door. 

Damn it! 

“Yeah?” Clint calls out. There’s no sense in trying to pretend he isn’t home. Dog Cops is blaring from the TV. His hearing aids have been acting up too. What else could go wrong?

“Hey, it’s Nat.”

“And Bucky. Can we come in?” Their voices muffled behind the door.

“Now isn’t a good time. I’ll come find you guys later. Okay?” He struggles to keep his voice from cracking and giving his emotional state away. If they push the issue he’ll have to let them in and he’s not ready for this conversation. He doesn’t know what’s wrong so there’s no way he can explain it to someone else. 

“Okay, but if you don’t… we’ll be back. That’s not a threat.” Nat tries to assure him this isn’t an attack just concerned friends that want to have a discussion. “We’re not coming at you, Clint. We just want to talk.”

“Got it. See ya later,” he shouts back. He thinks he’s got it. With his hearing aids acting wonky he may have missed something. He turns his attention back to Lucky. 

“Guess we better start packing, pal. No one needs a sniper with shaky hands—especially the Avengers. There’s no denying that fact.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Clint doesn’t try to find Nat and Bucky. He’s too busy trying to sneak out of the compound to worry about a missed commitment. However, he should have taken his hearing aids in for a tune up with Tony before he attempted his departure. He completely misses the sound of footsteps heading his way. When Lucky’s ears perk up and his tail begins a furious wag, Clint realizes he’s busted. 

“Just like that, huh?” Bucky throws his hands up in frustration. ‘You’re just gonna walk out of my life without saying goodbye?”

Clint stops in his tracks and turns to face his accuser. “Dammit Buck, what the hell are you talking about?” he asks as he drops his bags. “It’s not like we’re a couple. I’m not leaving YOU!” 

“Not for lack of trying on my part. You’re just oblivious,” Bucky moves closer so Clint can read his lips if he needs to. “Will you please tell me what’s going on? I want to help. I really don’t want you to leave. Please, Barton. I’m beggin’ here…I never beg.”

“Look Barnes, I’m done. Washed up. Game over. I can’t do the job anymore. It’s time for me to move on. There’s no place on this team for a sniper with the shakes!”

Bucky’s eyes go wide. “Wait…what?”

“You heard me. My hands.” He takes a step back and lifts his hands to show Bucky what he’s talking about. “I can’t make it stop. I can’t stay here. Please, just get out of my way.” He picks his bags up along with Lucky’s leash and pushes his way past, shoving Bucky into the wall. 

He doesn’t try to stop him. He watches Clint leave and feels a little piece of himself break. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Tony has been studying footage of Clint before the last mission and after. FRIDAY records all activity on the range and certain areas of the compound. He’s been looking for an explanation for his sudden ailment. 

“I don’t know what to say. Natasha, I’ve been watching these screens for days. I don’t see anything. He didn’t get shot or stabbed. Other than that one big hit he took in the last battle nothing looks out of the ordinary. And I checked his medical records, that hit cracked a few ribs and bruised his shoulder a bit, but no nerve damage.” Tony throws his hands in the air. The thing he hates most in life is a puzzle he can’t solve. 

Nat moves closer and places her hands on Tony’s shoulders. She not usually one for personal contact but she can see he’s struggling. “I know you’re trying your best. And I appreciate it. I feel like we’re missing something. It’s got to be something small and easily overlooked. We’ve been looking for something glaringly obvious.”

Just as she finished her sentence Steve rushes into the room. “I got it! You two are not going to believe this.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Barton, will you please open the goddamn door?!” Bucky has had enough of this crap. 

He gave Clint a few days to cool off. Of course he knew he would head to his apartment in Bed Stuy, so he’s been keeping an eye on him from the abandoned building across the street. The only time Clint has come out is to walk Lucky. Bucky hasn’t even seen the pizza guy so he’s starting to think Clint isn’t even eating which is causing more worry. The call he just got from Steve will finally put an end to this nonsense, if he can get Clint to open the door and listen. 

After a few more forceful knocks the door finally unlocks. Bucky takes that as his cue to let himself in. 

“About time. I was gonna break it down if you didn’t open it.”

Clint flops down on the couch and huffs. He’s wearing threadbare sweatpants and nothing else. Bucky notices his muscles ripple as he stretches out and assumes the position. That was really uncalled for. This is serious, it’s not the time to think about how it would feel to press his body up against that chiseled work of art.

“I figured as much. That’s why I opened it. Can’t afford to replace it since I’m unemployed.”

Bucky walks over to the couch and knocks Clint’s legs out of the way so he can sit down. He extends a hand and Clint reluctantly grasps it. With one swift move Bucky pulls Clint into a sitting position and thrusts a cup of coffee into his free hand. 

“Drink.”

“You came over here threatening to break my door down to give me a coffee?” Clint takes a long sip and sighs at the wonderful taste. It’s been a couple days since he’s eaten or had anything but water to drink. He was too upset to go shopping. “Not that I’m complaining.”

They sit in companionable silence, watching Dog Cops and giving Clint the time to finish the extra large cup of coffee Bucky bestowed upon him. After about thirty minutes he can feel Bucky’s eyes on him, staring him down. 

“Can I help you with something?” Clint asks.

“Yeah. Give me your hand.”

“What? No.” Clints tries to move away but Bucky grabs his arm to stops him. “What the hell, Barnes? Let me go!”

“Can you just trust me? Jesus Christ, Barton. Do you think I’d do anything to hurt you?”

Clint settles himself and takes a deep breath. With his head bowed he lifts his hand toward Bucky like he requested. 

Seeing the complete steadiness of the archer’s hand he exclaims, “Steve was right. I’ll be damned!”

“What?! What was Steve right about?”

“You’ve been drinking decaffeinated coffee! That’s what caused your shakes. How the hell someone who drinks gallons of coffee a day didn’t realize he was drinking decaf is beyond me.”

“I…I didn’t…wait. Decaf?!” Clint drops his head in shame. He saw a new brand of fancy Italian coffee in the cabinet and figured why not give it a try. Italians take their coffee seriously it never even crossed his mind that it would be decaffeinated. It was delicious, so he kept drinking it. 

“You’re beautiful even when you’re an idiot, ya know that?” Bucky says in a hushed tone. He’s pretty sure Clint can’t hear him. 

“Well, I may have caused some serious drama for no reason but this is pure heaven right now,” he says as he drinks the last of his  _ caffeinated _ coffee.

“Yeah well, seeing you dressed like this is pure heaven to me.” Bucky makes sure he hears him this time. 

Clint stops mid sip and looks at Bucky wide eyed. “Wait. You were being serious with all that flirting?”

Bucky scrubs his hand down his face in an epic facepalm.

“Like I said, Barton… oblivious.”

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by Caramell0w


End file.
